New Ulm weekly review., 1887-10-12
Aaditisaal se.eAins.,o1I The. a.ient. of Labor
REPORT. OF a1fs. PowDERLY.


REPORT OF MIR. PownERLY.
Oni Thursday afternoons the 9th inst.
Mastsr Workman Powd derly Y read his annual
address. 1t, took up Ga qnarto pages in
Prlnh p u was received. By the delegates.
he. congratnlated the knights that the
present body was. only half as large as
that: which assembled at Richmond.
Ialere followed a detailbd account Of the
part the Knights played. q year ago in the
trouble between the pork and beef packers
OF Chicago and their: employees. Az to tho
reason why the strike. was declared off he
said: s'
spent hourssin. woEking an estimate OF
Mhatit wouldscost to, o,support the numcr.
Gus. mombers, who, were. thrown on our
Aands, and became. satisfied that If the
varlous troubles lasted for any length Of
nm! 1lme weswould requiHe at least $500, 900.
= knew tflatrwa did. not have thst amount
20 spend, and I also knew that
u an assessmenh was levied on the
order it would be the the signal for. an
attack on the general executive board.
Knew THAI no strike or stoppage Of
work ever Yet took place that the cry for
financial assistance did not go up as soon
as the striks was maugurated. knew
tnat with q, 900 more to take care OF,
many OF whom were not members, wa
would require from $lO0, 900 to 5000, 600
60 carry on the struggle, and with the
7thatswe " euld fail.
believe that the men of the stock yards
should work but eight hours; / believe
tnat all laboring men should work but
more than eight hours; but before q move
IS mass8. In that direction we should care
1ully consider the interests OF all concerned.
as well as the prospects OF success for the
undertaking.
In. regard to the Chicago ANARCHISTS, Mr..
Powderly says: Ii these men did not have
q q 1alr a trial, such as IS guaranteed every
man in the United States, then they should
be granted a new trial. If they have not
been found guilty OF murder they should
not be hanged. II they are to be hanged
ior the actions OF others it is not Just.
The man who threw the bomb in Chicago
should be hanged and his accomplices
should receive the punishment allotted
to such offenses by the laws of the state
OF illinois. Before the public I have
never said word concerning these
men. have never felt called upon to say
anything, for it is none OF my business; yet
some OF their friends have put words OF
condemnation in my mouth in order to
have me say something in their favor. /
allowed 1t to 60, as the many false reports
concerning me went unnoticed. felt that
II they could stand it could.
Then follows a lot of correspondence be.
tween Powderly and representatives Of the
order in Chicago, in which he stoutly pro.
tests against allowing any anarchistic reso-
iutlons to pass district or local assemblies
OF approprlatlnga any money to defray the
expenses ex Q OF the anarchists trial. In one
st.aa 81 Mt. s Powderly's letters appears this
s write tn Won ~ nc m ofar
your district, TO say that these things are
wrong. They are in direct conflict with the
fundamental law OF the order. Every dele
gate to a district assembly knows that he
ls TO teach to the locals that this order is
an army Of peace. It follows that
violence on the part Of members or nom
members cannot, must not. be approved
or excused. For years in the city OF Chica.
60 the adherents OF the anarchists cause
have maligned, opposed and insulted the
order'of the knights Of Labor. No matter
how much we may sympathize with them
as fellow beings; no matter how we NAV
ieel as to the illegality OF the trial by which
they were condemned to death; no matter
though the police had committed an nm.
warrantable act OF interference and pre-,
cipitated conflict on the 4th of Nav: no
matter ifit be, true that public clamor, the
frenzy OF the hour and the passions aroused
by the ill.advised actions of the men who
shed the life. blood OF their fellow-men, and
created sentiment which had more to do
with reaching verdict than the evidence
mains n fixed fact that the order Of the
knights OF Labor is not responsible for
such actions as these. As individuals we
may express our feelings as we please, but
as knights OF Labor we must not commit
the order, or any part OF it, to the teach.
ings OF the anarchist.
The master workman introduced his
series OF recommendations with the re.
quest tina they begiven more consideration
than those he has made to past assemblies
have received. he recommends united
effort to secure from congress the esta blish.
ment OF "a department of labor
with a cabinet member. He strongly. ad.
vocates the owning and operating OF
telegraphs, telephones and railroads
by the government, and alludes to al
legged tampering with the election returns
in the last national election as a strong
argument. He argues the matter ut some
length. He considers these two the most
matters to be urged on con.
gress. He emphasizes the necessity for
education and urges that the order should
have a journal that is read by every mem
ber.
VHeH Gue lasG general assembly adjourn.
ed the officers were attacked in most
vicious manner by some OF those who were
present at the general assembly. / be-
iieve that this general assembly should re-
buke such conduct, and do it in such a
way as to leave no doubt on the minds OF
those who seek revenge for insults.
or fancied insults, through the
columns OF the public press 1 believe
that the evil deeds of prominent members
OF the general assembly, who have held its
officers up to the public ridicule and
scorn. should be known to the order.
The public press has no business
with our internal differences. sim
cerely hope that there will be no occasion
for the exercise of any feeling such as was
manifested in the last general assembly.
and that the scenes which followed the
Richmond session will not be re-enacted.s
Mr.. Powderly repeats his protest
against the expulsion OF the cigar makers
and his opinion that the resolution passed
at the last assembly was unconstitutional.
He advocates the adoption OF universal
benefit plan.
Il the present incumbent is not the man
20 inspire that confidence he will cheerfully
,ive away to the man OF your choice. It is
erl1e that olurfr,rl 81,